


Book Wyrm

by John_Steiner



Category: Fantasy - Fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:08:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22706713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/John_Steiner/pseuds/John_Steiner
Summary: A heretical clergyman, having retreated far to the north, enters his study to find a small dragon reading through one of his books. Wanting vengeance against his church and god, the heretic asks of the dragon what it wants in trade.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 1





	Book Wyrm

"Well, well," spoke a small red dragon lounging on my bookshelf.

"What the devil is this?" I blasted, suddenly seeing the dragon as I entered my study.

"Oh, come now," the dragon replied, pulling the pipe back, "You had to suspect something by now. Your tobacco isn't so pleasant as what I puff into this place."

"What are you?" I challenged, still unsettled by the sight.

"You're really going to ask me that?" the dragon scoffed, "Looking like I do, you're going to go through the motions of doubt?"

"I-- I thought dragons were large, huge in fact," I stammered.

"Eventually," the winged beast answered, "Those are the ancient ones, far beyond mere elders."

"And you?" I pointed, "Not just a hatchling, I take it? By what manner do you exist? Why should you exist here, in my study?"

"Don't embarrass yourself so," the dragon rebuked, standing and snapping the book closed and tossing it onto the table nearby, "In fact there was an age where we asked a similar question, 'What manner of sorcery brings these strange fragile things up enough they dare declare themselves lords of the Earth?' Naturally, nothing answered our inquiry."

"Are you to ask me?" I shrugged and held my hands out to my sides. "I know not, but what the clergy tell us."

"If you believed them you wouldn't have retreated to this frozen part of the world so far from their reach." The dragon called out my bluff and more, pointing to what it had been reading. "That book there would land you on a pyre if they knew. Is that what brings you to one of our realms?"

"If you mean this frozen haven, yes," I defended, "I will bring forth the Morning Star to get revenge on the church."

"Let me spare you an incantation," the dragon declared, pivoted and dropping onto the book and the table atop it as though ready to make a business proposal. "There is no Morning Star. No angels at all. Even the god you rue and rail against is a fable. There are indeed gods, but your kind have caught up to ours in worrying not what they think."

"How then could the church maintain their power over the known world?" I challenged, feeling the heat of desire to burn it all down.

"Through purely mortal machinations," the dragon answered, as though it were obvious, and indeed it was. "Really, you shouldn't ask such silly questions."

"Why do I get the feeling you're about to offer me something?" I folded my arms and shifted in my posture.

"Well," the dragon replied, and eyed down at the book upon which it stood. "You already have it. Just you don't know how to read it, and even if you did, reading it and putting it to use are two entirely different things."

"A dragon teaching magic?" I couldn't fathom it.

"Where else do you think it comes from?" the serpent responded, "The gods surely wouldn't share their power with you, lest you usurped them all the quicker. Yes, I'll teach you. And when you and your fellows of mind achieved what you want you'll remember us and grant our domain as unspoiled by the footprint of man."

"Deal," I said in all haste, a broad grin spreading over my face.

"If I honestly thought you were to betray us I'd set you alight right here and now," the dragon warned needlessly. "You clearly are a mortal of your word. You could not hide otherwise. We'll begin on this night."


End file.
